


player two

by fate-motif (Jo_Girard)



Series: zoo date: origins [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Canon Compliant, Friends to Lovers, M/M, POV switch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-25 00:42:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6173248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jo_Girard/pseuds/fate-motif
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Ultimate Mecha Strike III Tournament Selections don't go remotely how either Kim or Max had planned.</p><p>(Or: The Gamer from Kim's point-of-view.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	player two

“No, no, _no!_ ”

Kim had never been a graceful loser, but he looked ready to slam his controller to the ground over his defeat. All he did was give a final defeated grunt and accept his end. “Great job, Adrien.” At his side, Adrien pat him on the shoulder.

“You put up a good fight, Kim,” he assured. Still Kim would not meet Adrien’s eyes. Instead, he looked over his shoulder to the observers at their back. Among the gathering was Max, and they exchanged a wordless apology from where they were. It was enough to prompt Kim to good behaviour. So Kim stood up, shook Adrien’s hand warmly, and caught Adrien’s shoulder too.

“Just keep up with Max.”

Another glance backwards, and Max’s eyes were shining.

“Maybe we could put that to the test?” someone volunteered from the back. Alya from behind her phone gave Adrien an encouraging wink. “Just for fun. See who’s _really_ the best gamer. After all, we already have our two winners.”

Kim scoffed. “Look at the scores! Max is still the best gamer in school!” The wider Max’s grin became, the more Kim bragged. So they weren’t going to be the Wonder Team Kim had hoped for - this was still Max’s time to shine. “Adrien wouldn’t last two minutes.”

“Careful, Kim,” said Adrien beside him. He removed the arm from Kim’s shoulder and instead put his hands on his hips. “I just beat _you_.”

“And _I’ll_ beat you,” interrupted Max. He walked to Kim’s side and stretched his hand to receive the controller. Once in his grasp he motioned to Adrien with a cocky smile. “Kim isn’t the only one that likes challenges, you know.”

The gathering gasped, and Alya even jumped in her place a little from the excitement. This was another thing every challenge Kim made had - the thrill of the crowd, having every eye and ear on the game to see who would win. The disappointment of his loss washed away when he saw everyone’s attention on his best friend. He stood there for a few moments looking at Max as Max and Adrien chose their settings for their match -

“Kim, you’re standing too close to Max. You’re ruining the shot,” complained Alya. “What are you looking at?”

“Oh, sorry, Alya.” So Kim walked to Adrien’s side, but always with his eyes set on Max. Hands on his hips, he sank back into his own thoughts for Max and barely kept score of the events on the screen.

* * *

The match had gone on for a few minutes when the library doors opened behind Kim.

“Can we get what’s happening here?” whispered Marinette’s voice.

“We’re right in the middle of the selections for the Ultimate Mecha Strike III Tournament!” offered Rose. “The school will send their two people with the highest score!” Kim fought back the urge to tell her to shut up; couldn’t they see they were bothering the players? No, just one player. Despite Max’s speed, he was making rash battle choices. _Max…_

Kim shook off his uneasiness by walking over to Marinette and reassuring her. “Yeah but actually, it’s mostly to find out who’s going to partner up with Max.”

“Why him?”

“Because Max is so strong!” Boasting came only too natural to Kim. “He’s the real Roxor! He has the highest APM in school!” _That_ was what mattered, not the outcome of this match. He could make mistakes but in the end, skill set Max over their friends. Skill, and practice.

“APM?”

“Actions per minute!” explained Kim with raised arms. “This tournament is a real event for him. He trained all year to participate!” Kim could almost see his friend grasp that big shiny trophy triumphantly. It didn’t matter if Kim wasn’t with him, so long as Max won.

“But...!”  
Just then, the tide set against Max all in one move. Max hesitated, thought too long about what he was going to do. And Adrien zeroed in his hesitation. Without Max’s legendary speed, Adrien’s bot now reigned supreme in the battle. ADRIEN WINS, MAX LOSES flashed on the screen.

“Oh no…”

“Adrien’s the best now,” commented Miss Bustier absently.

Adrien threw his hands up and cheered for himself, but Max struggled to keep cool from the defeat. “Superb victory; we’ll make an unbeatable team, the both of us!” Kim managed a smile and nodded. Adrien and Max high-fived, leading to another round of cheers from their friends.

“Just a question...if someone manages to beat Max’s high score...they’ll partner up with Adrien, at this tournament?”

“Nobody can beat Max!” scoffed Kim for the second time that day. “Max and Adrien even less so! There’s no better than the two of them, it’s the best team in school!”

Alya ran off with Marinette for a private talk somewhere in the library. Marinette returned in time just as Mr. Damocles was declaring Max and Adrien as the chosen team for the tournament.

“Can we still participate in the selection?”

Kim (and half the library) gasped.

“Well, the library closes in five minutes, but…”

Marinette marched up the the seat before the screen and gestured to Adrien to hand her the control. Even though Kim’s confidence for Max was unending, it wasn’t as much confidence as _Max_ ’s face was showing right now. After one unexpected defeat, Max could still stand wobbly as a champion. Two would kick him off his throne.

“No but, is she real? She doesn’t stand a chance!”

Alya could see through Kim’s uneasiness. “None, yeah, but right now, I know someone who’s more than motivated to blow up the high score.”

The competition began even before they had chosen their gamebots, as Marinette blew off Max’s explanation of the game. It made the battle brief but bloody. Max could try wrestle the game in his favor but Marinette would always overwhelm him. Every move she made had everyone’s mouths open a little more, until they were staring at a dancing Marinette with mouths and eyes wide open.

“I can’t believe it. She...she managed to beat him!”

The others immediately started calling out the Marinette, celebrating her victory. But Max slumped over his seat from the disbelief of the two defeats. The high scores screen flashed before them, sealing Max’s humiliation before everyone else. Only Kim’s face had fallen and now looked at his friend sadly.

“I admit my defeat,” declared Max, as he stood up. “I give up on the idea of participating in the tournament. Congratulations, Marinette. Bravo, Adrien.”

“Max, wait!” The only other person who at least stood by Max was Adrien, who couldn’t catch him quickly enough before he scrambled out of the room without breaking into tears. And Kim? All he could do was stare in disbelief because all these days the _sureness_ that Max’s victory was set had run through Kim and now it wouldn’t leave.

“It’s fine. Everything’s good. I got beaten fair and square but right now you’ll have to excuse me.” Max’s voice broke. “I need some time alone.”

* * *

The principal’s final announcement barely registered on Kim. He could only lean against a bookcase with his hands in the pocket of his hoodie and stare at the floor. Everyone walked out of the library but Kim, who was deep in thought. His reverie was only broken when a small hand poked his shoulder in hesitation. “Kim?”

Kim stared away from the floor, and found Rose staring expectantly on his right. Behind Rose loomed her girlfriend Juleka. “Mm?”

“Max is your best friend, why aren’t you going after him?”

To this Kim only turned a shoulder against the two girls, wrinkling his nose at the possible soppiness that was to follow. “I - when Max wants to be alone, I let him be alone! I don’t make him more uncomfortable than he wants to be. Let him be!” And Kim’s indignated eyes went back to the floor. “It will only bother him more. We were...we were supposed to go in together.”

“To the tournament?”

“Yes, to the tournament.” Kim sighed. “This was the one time we could be on the same team for the same competition. He can’t run, I can’t do math. But we can both play videogames. We were going to be on the same team for once…”

“Well…” Rose fidgeted in place with her hands behind her back. “You’re always together. You don’t have to fight other people for it to make you a team.” Juleka placed a hand on her shoulder, and Rose finally stood still. “But I’m sorry you and Max lost your chance to be in the tournament, Kim.” She patted his right arm. “I still think you should go talk to Max.”

“I told you, Rose!” he grumbled. “It’ll only make him think that we lost.”

“But he could be sad for _him_ and not the two of you,” noted Juleka, who made her voice soft and almost inaudible. “You only cared if you and Max won together?”

“No, I…!” Kim looked over the girls in confusion. Rose and Juleka were one of the best teams Kim had ever seen - at _anything_. If they were working together, they could win with grace and confidence. Even when they lost, they were always ready for another game. And now they were rooting for him and Max - what?

“I...thank you, Juleka. Rose.” The three looked around the library for a janitor, see if they were about to be locked out. “I think we should leave.”

“Of course, Kim.” Rose took Juleka by the hand out the library and waved goodbye. “I hope Max feels better!”

* * *

Max? Max? Right now the one that was confused about everything was _Kim!_

“I mean, if you need to come to my place, to study and all, I…curse you Rose!” Kim deleted one more voicemail to Max and kicked at the street in frustration. “How do I cheer him up, without the one activity we can both enjoy together that we just both lost a tournament in, and not make it all about me?” This was going to be a loud walk home. Kim’s train of thought marched on best if it was said aloud, which earned him a couple of curious looks from passerbys. “I know it was worse for him that it was for me, but how do I make him feel like I'm there for him _and_ …?” _And what?!_ Kim put both his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, trying to capture of that brief moment of lucidity he'd had facing Rose and Juleka. He stopped in his tracks when the feeling washed over him properly. He recognized it. Worse, he hadn't felt like this since…

“...Valentine's Day!” Kim hit himself over the forehead. “Oh, no, no! I'm not - I can’t be - no!”

He turned to the general direction of the school and pointed an accusing finger. “Rose and Juleka, if you’re _messing_ with me…!” The worst part was, Kim knew this had nothing to do with them. He was in _love._

A black cat ran in the opposite direction Kim was walking on, even brushing past his leg on accident. Kim’s eyes followed the cat and stopped in his tracks. But there were other off-looking things than the cat that bothered Kim. The streets were curiously empty, every now and then when someone passed him by they’d hurry away, and now this. Kim began to ready himself for a run, just in case - this was setting him on edge. It didn’t take him long to come across what was scaring everyone.

Something heavy crashed into the ground nearby, enough to throw Kim off his feet and on the sidewalk. He was ready to stand and continue running (this time in the opposite direction) when the source of the thumping appeared from the corner of the street he was walking on. It was a large Ultimate Mecha Strike III gamebot the size of a building - a large black pyramid with a single green eye and large legs coming out the sides in blocks of black and green.

Akuma!

The gamebot’s eye turned on the frozen, terrified Kim. He wouldn't budge, and was powerless from having it zap him into nothing.

* * *

It was a little later that afternoon that Kim came to himself again, physically, on the side of the street where the Mecha Strike robot had zapped him. After touching the ground and laughing thankfully, he sighed and run a hand through his hair. “Oh, I’m alive. I’m alive.” Ladybug and Chat Noir must have beat the villain! The high schooler took out his phone out of his pocket and check the time - only half an hour had passed since he’d left school. “I should call - Max!”

The Ultimate Mecha Strike gamebot!

It was Max’s signature gamebot!

Horror crept into Kim’s face. This was all the prompting he needed to get on his feet and race not to his own house but anywhere with a screen, any place that knew where Max was last seen. It was some convenience store that let him in. But Max answered Kim’s calls before the news could tell him where _Gamer_ had been beaten.

“Kim?”

“Max! Where are you? I…!” Kim struggled to find the words. “I got worried! I was trying to call you - I couldn’t find you before…!” He had to cover his mouth to stop himself from admitting he had been attacked by Gamer.

“I’m at the school stadium,” sighed Max. “It’s fine - I’m - ”

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, maybe ten, depends on how fast I can run!”

“Thirteen,” corrected Max. Though he answered softly, at least the answer ringed Max all the way. It was _mathematical._

“I can make it in twelve!” With that, Kim hung up on the phone, ran in place for only half a minute, before running off into the street before everyone else in the store.

* * *

Kim arrived in eleven minutes and fifty-six seconds. He had to pause to catch his breath and even leaned on the side of the entrance walls to take a minute. His break was forgotten when his eyes wandered to the seats and he saw Max sitting in the seats closest to the field, not far from where Kim was resting. He still made a final sprint to get to his friend’s side. Once he was there, Kim stopped in his tracks and sat down by Max. Max wouldn’t meet his eyes. Did he remember zapping Kim?

“I’m sorry,” began Max. He had his arms crossed and was looking in the opposite to Kim. “I was sure we were going to win and I did stupid things because...I thought I'd _earned_ that spot. In the Tournament.” He sighed. “I was wrong. I didn't practice enough. Maybe I - ”

“Max.” Kim fought the urge to say too many things, the wrong things. “You can practice your absolute best and still lose.” Kim lost countless soccer, racing and fencing matches he had lost despite throwing his heart and soul into the match. But Kim did not say any of that. Instead, he put an arm around Max's shoulders. “You'll do better next year.”

Max put Kim's arm gently back to Kim's side. “But if I can do my best and still lose, there's no guarantee I’ll ever win.”

“You still have to try.”

Max wouldn't meet his gaze; it only made everything harder between them.

“Thanks, Kim.” His voice was still breaking, which only broke _Kim_ more.

“Max…” Kim held his head in his hands. _Don't make this about you, don't make this about you, don't make this about you!_ It limited his words so much but everything else that remained sounded bleak and cold. “You're a great gamer and a victory or a loss won’t define your next game! I promise! I…”

Max finally looked up to Kim. His sad brown eyes closed; he winced before speaking. “Actually, I don’t know if I could have made it far without you...”

Kim scoffed and put a hand on Max's shoulder. “You could beat anyone. You could have beat anyone. And I'm nowhere near as good as you - ”

“No, but you helped me train.”

“You're my best friend, Max.” Kim's eyes shone when Max opened his. “We’re...we’re a team.” Did it count as making it all about himself if he used _we_ and not _I?_ The only reason why _I love you_ was banned was because it started with I - !

Max put his hands on Kim’s shoulders and with strength Kim never knew he had, he pulled Kim down and _kissed him._ Arms around Max now, Kim let Max guide him in this kiss - he was surprisingly experienced, and he was _leading_ and wow, this was the reason why Kim was the real Player 2 of the two of them.

They pulled away but didn't break the embrace. Even Max looked confused by what had just happened.

“H-how did you…?” _Please don't let him be telepathic, I think way too many stupid -_

“You looked like you did when you told me you wanted to tell Chloé you were in love with her,” observed Max. He was now a little more grounded. “And I...I have wanted to do that for a while now.”

Kim’s mouth dropped, then pulled itself together into another messy, lovestruck grin. “You…”

Max gave Kim a brief peck over the lips to shut him up. “Later.”

“Yeah...later…”

“Maybe we could head to your place now.”

“...Sure.”

**Author's Note:**

> ~~Y colorín colorado, este cuento se ha acabado.~~
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> More seriously though, there. Operation Valentine's Day gets fulfilled, and thus Max and Kim go steady at some point between this episode and Animan, if the chronology of the French run is to be trusted. Or rather, that's my interpretation. I hope you Kimax rareshippers out there enjoyed it!


End file.
